Improvement in bush-hammers



C. E. WARD. BUSH-HAMMER.

Patented March 7, 1876.

v No. 174,394.

Fig.2

mifspggeg UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES E. WARD, VINAL HAVEN, MAINE.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUSH-HAMMERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,394, dated March 7, 1876; application filed August 4, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. WARD, of Vinal Haven, Knox county, Maine, have invented a Stoue-Uutters Bush-Hammer, of which the following is a specification The bush-hammer is a tool used by stonecutters, containing from six to twelve or more steel cuts in each head. When the stone has been cut to the desired shape with the preliminary tools, the above hammer-is used to give I it a fine race, and the quality of work is designated as six-cut, eight-cut, tencut, or twelvecut, asthe case may be-the latter, of course, being the finest.

My improvement consists inthe dovetailed recess A B (as shown in the accompanying drawing in Figs. 1 and 2) in each head of the hammer into which the dovetail-shaped steelcuts E B are forced by the clamp O G and the screw-bolts F F. The cuts are made slightly larger than the opening into which they fit, inorder to giye the clamp a better bearing on the edges of the same.

In order to take out the steel cuts or bushes E E for the purpose of sharpening them, it is only necessary to screw out one of the screwbolts F F and to loosen the other. The clamp C 0 may then be turned to one side and the cuts easily removed. When sharpened and replaced with the clamp turned back underneath, the tightening of the screws will forcibly hold the cuts in their proper place, and the hammer-handle may be inserted into the eye K, either from above or below; if from above, it will not be necessary to remove the handle when it is necessary to take out the cuts, as this will bring the bolt-heads on top.

,A bush-hammer should not be too heavy, as the stone-cutter has often to bush his work hours at a time; neither should it be too cumbersome or bulky, as he has sometimes to work in narrow places or close to other fine work which might be endangered by any projections on the hammer. It is desirable to have as few working parts as practicable, as it not only facilitates taking it apart and putting it together again, but renders it less liable to work loose or get out of order by the constant concussion it is subjected to when in use, and a certain amount of elasticity or rebound is a great advantage in using the hammer. This hammer possesses all these qualities to an eminent degree, inasmuch as the body of the same is cast or forged out of one piece of steel, making, with the clamp and the two screw-bolts, but four pieces in all, while the old style of hammer, at present most in use, consists of twelve separate pieces, 5. e., two pole-pieces, (side plates,) two gibs, projecting above and below, four screw-bolts, and four nuts projecting on each side.

The improved hammer has no nuts or screw heads on the sides or top, is not bulky or heavy, and being all steel has by actual experiment been proved to possess an elasticity of its own not found in the old hammer.

I disclaim any projecting dovetail on the steel cuts or blades. I disclaim separate side plates or clamps. I disclaim lateral screws or bolts. Idisclaim having the cuts gradually lioncrease in thickness toward their rear ends;

What I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The single dovetail on upper or lower rear edge of cuts, substantially as described.

2. The beveled recess made to receive the cuts, substantially as described.

3. The hammer-head, made in one piece, in combination with single clamp beneath and twoiscrew-bolts to secure the same, as spec ifie In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

O. E. WARD. Witnesses S. W. MATTHEWS, N. J. VANDER. WEYDE. 

